


RB: Deleted Scenes

by RosalindHawkins



Series: Rock Bottom: Bonus Material [2]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Angst, Death-T, Deleted Scenes, Gen, Helicopter, Hospital, M/M, Monster World, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-10
Updated: 2017-07-11
Packaged: 2018-08-20 15:05:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8253421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RosalindHawkins/pseuds/RosalindHawkins
Summary: Deleted, extended, and alternative scenes for my "Rock Bottom" series. Some are for chapters past, some are for future pieces that I'm planning in advance. If you've ever wondered what other directions this story could have taken, this is a peek into some of the alternative paths I considered.





	1. S0.13: Alternative

**Author's Note:**

> This would have replaced a chunk of Chapter 13 of "Rock Bottom." This scene happens in the hypothetical version of the story where Gozaburo is especially sadistic and used a poisoned whip on Seto, thus sending him to the hospital because the poison got into his system via broken skin. This is as far into that scene as I got before I gave up on the idea, deciding that I'd already tortured Seto enough.

When Ryou and the others arrived at his house, they went inside to find it empty: no Mrs. Bakura, no Marik, and no Seto. Ryou found a note on the fridge that contained a message that sent most of them packing back into Joey's car.

"Took Seto to St. Mark's Hospital on 7th. Call me when you get home. ~Mom"

After the cramped car ride to Ryou's home, they decided it'd be better—and safer—if they didn't all go to the hospital at once. Anzu and Yugi had offered to stay behind with Serenity—Ryou would have left Amane behind as well, but none of them knew sign language, so he felt it would be better for her to stay with her brother. Joey promised to come pick them up as soon as he dropped the others off at the hospital, then he left with Ryou, Mokuba, and Amane. As Ryou called his mom to ask what was wrong and Joey drove them to the hospital the quickest way possible, Mokuba and Amane held hands in the back seat, sitting right next to each other even though they didn't need to. When Ryou hung up, Mokuba spoke right away.

"What's wrong with Seto?" he demanded, squeezing Amane's hand as anxiety gripped his young heart.

"My mom says that he started running a high fever around mid-day, so she took him to the hospital to make sure that he would be alright. They're giving him medicine, so he's going to be alright, Mokuba. Don't worry."

Joey glanced over at Ryou, wondering just how sugarcoated that information was. Judging by the Brit's pensive expression, quite a bit of it. Ryou adjusted the speaker volume, turner up the music in the back speakers while turning it down up front.

"They can't figure out what's wrong." He whispered his confession to Joey, feeling obligated to at least tell HIM the truth. "He wasn't sick last night, he was hurt. I don't know what happened, I don't even know if my parents know what happened, but he was hurt so badly that by the time he got to our house he couldn't walk anymore."

Joey's mouth was drawn in a hard line as he felt the guilty tug to share what he knew.

"He was hurt last week too, though right?" he asked. Seto had told him about his conversation with Mr. Bakura, so he knew that Ryou knew about that, at least.

"Yeah, but this was a lot worse. Hey… how did you know about that?" Little red flags were going up in his mind as Ryou realized that something more was going on.

"He… told me," Joey answered, his eyes on the road as he continued to drive.

"What do you know that I don't?" Ryou asked, eyes growing wide.

"I know… more than he would want me to tell you," Joey said in a low voice, and Ryou didn't think he'd ever seen Joey so serious before. "I'd tell you, but it's not my place to say."

"Joey!"

"I'm sorry, but I promised I wouldn't!" the blond apologized as he turned into the parking garage of the hospital. "If I break my promise, he'll never trust me again." Joey sighed as he thought about how Seto would react to being betrayed. "I only recently got my act together, and I don't want to spoil this."

Ryou fell silent. He knew that Joey was right, and as much as he hated that Seto and Joey were keeping a secret from him, he had to accept that there was something Seto didn't want him to know.

"It's not because he doesn't trust you," Joey said quietly, trying to reassure Ryou. "He didn't even tell me himself, I had to figure it out on my own and confront him about it. He hated that I did, still kind of hates that I know, but he didn't have a _choice_ but to trust me." Joey parked the car and turned the ignition off. "Alright, let's go find your brother, Mokuba," he said at a normal volume as they climbed out of the car.


	2. S0.14: Omitted - Monster World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The deleted Monster World scene from "Rock Bottom." It's unfinished and has iffy quality, but I still hope you enjoy it! Pieces of this did get quoted in S0.15, though.

The game started innocently enough, with each person picking a figurine to represent themselves: Yugi chose the Beast Tamer, Anzu was the Magician's Apprentice, Seto used the Lord of Dragons, Marik picked the Blue Mage, and Joey chose the Flame Swordsman. Of course, because all of them were playing for the first time, their characters started at level one with somewhat low stats. Ryou was the self-appointed game master, since he knew better than anybody else how to play the game. He sat at one end of the table with the laptop and the dice while the other five were seated at the opposite end with another pair of ten-sided dice.

As they began the adventure, they encountered an NPC who directed them to Castle Zorc, where a powerful demon resided who terrorized the nearby villagers. They ventured into the forest that separated the village from the castle and were ambushed by a monster. Anzu was attacked first, and the dice were not in her favor.

"Looks like Anzu takes damage," the game-master said, wearing a strange smile. None of the adventurers had yet realized that strange, smog-like shadows had enveloped the perimeter of the room. Just then, Anzu gasped and slumped forward on the table, a flash of light enveloping her figurine before it came to life.

"Anzu!" Yugi cried as his best friend lost consciousness. Marik was staring at Ryou with narrowed eyes, and as he began to chuckle, his suspicions were confirmed.

Marik began to shout something at Bakura in Egyptian, something that Seto could only describe as a spell or invocation, and the Brit began to look furious. With a single, shouted, Egyptian word from the game-master, all of the adventurers lost consciousness, their souls transferred to their figurines.

As Seto awoke on the game-board, he realized that he'd forgotten what it felt like to live without pain. It felt wonderful. He stood, joining the others upright on the diorama board as they stared up at their friend in shock.

"Ryou, what have you _done_?" Seto demanded of his gentle-spirited friend, confused and outraged by his sudden change of heart.

"That's not Ryou," Marik said darkly. The game-master laughed cruelly and stood, only to gape at the far side of the table in shock. The adventurers turned around, and it was their turn to stare up in shock. Yugi and Seto were still sitting upright, arms crossed smugly as they smirked at the game-master.

"Will somebody please tell me what's going on?!" Joey yelled frantically. "I'm freakin' out ovah here!"

Seth looked down at the game-board, his expression gentling as he made eye contact with Seto. "Hello, Seto."

"You!" Seto said accusatorily. The voice was similar to his, but not the same. It was the voice from his dream, the one who had called him "child" and "son."

"Yes, Seto, it's me. I suppose I owe you an explanation, but we have more pressing issues at hand." He looked up at their opponent, his eyes appraising the threat he truly posed to them.

"I still don't get it. Who are these people?" Anzu asked, looking perplexed.

"I think he's from the Millennium Puzzle," Yugi answered thoughtfully as he gazed up at his mirror self. "Ever since I solved it, every time I duel or game I feel like there's a voice guiding me."

"So can we trust these guys?" Joey asked dubiously.

Seto stared up at his other self uncertainly, and he simply stared back, lifting one eyebrow at him.

"Well, Seto, do you trust me?"

"I don't even know your name."

"Seth." He tilted his head in a gesture that was both proud and archaic. "My name is Seth."

"And what's Big Yugi's name?" Joey asked.

"I have been called many things over the centuries. Some have called me Yu-Gi-Oh, some have called me Pharaoh." Seth looked over at the one seated beside him, a sad curiosity in his gaze for a moment.

"Yes, we can trust them," Yugi said, staring up at his own doppelganger with awe and respect.

"If we're finished with the introductions," the disgruntled game-master said sourly, "I would like us to get on with the game."

"Why, what's in it for you, ya big jerk? And who are you anyways, if you're not Ryou?" Joey demanded, for once asking the right questions.

"Yugi, I know you've heard the legends." His eyes twinkled with sadistic delight. "I am a thief and a stealer of souls, and I have done terrible things in my quest to possess the Millennium Items. Now, I have the chance to acquire two more." He looked at the two sitting across the table from him. "That is, of course, assuming that you would like to continue the game and not forfeit, for if you were to forfeit the match, your friends' souls would become a permanent part of my collection. If you lose, however, your souls will become a part of my game as well, leaving your bodies comatose and your Millennium Items unguarded."

"What Millennium Item are you talking about?" Seto asked. He didn't own one, as far as he knew. Seth reached behind his back and produced the Millennium Rod, showing it to Seto. "Oh, that thing. I didn't know it had a name." He put it away, his expression growing serious.

"We accept your challenge," Pharaoh said, still smirking at his opponent on the opposite end of the table. He glanced at his companion, then continued, "We will take turns rolling the dice for them and continue with the game." He grabbed the dice from the table, then said, "I believe it is the Beast-Tamer Yugi's turn?"

The game continued, but now everybody was on edge, aware that their very lives were at stake. Yugi was able to convert the monster they were battling into an ally, causing Anzu to vocalize her faith in the power of friendship. Again. When they tried to help a stranger in the forest, they were all shocked that it turned out to be the Dark Lord Zorc himself. Joey actually managed to slice off Zorc's arm,


	3. S0.21: Extended/Uncut Death T-5 Duel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The uncut, extended version of the Noah v. Seto duel in Death T-5 in Chapter 22 of "Rock Bottom." I was trying to incorporate more little nods to the Season Zero canon, but I feared that it would have made more sense for them to shut down the duel when instead of letting it continue, and that people wouldn't really think it fair to give Seto the title of World Champion if the Duel Arena glitched and helped him to win (which isn't what happened, it just looks like that). I put a lot of hard work into this scene, specifically the duel itself. I know I only start giving real details on it a few turns in, so I don't give you the whole picture (or even their life-point counters), but I'm very proud of it all the same.
> 
> Yet, I had to cut it down because the chapter was way too long and both Noah and Seto were acting a bit bratty (for the couple of days it took me to write this and a few other scenes, those two and Seth were acting REALLY bratty, and I don't even know why; I had to go back and so some editing).

In a matter of minutes, Seto and Noah were glaring at each other across the Duel Arena in an even larger stadium than where he'd faced Adina.

"This ends here," Seto asserted as he shuffled his deck and set it down to the right-hand side.

"I agree." Noah must have been wearing colored contacts, because his eyes were now a disturbing yellow shade that made his eyes look vaguely reptilian. "After all, this is the final stage, and I am the final boss, not to mention _your_ boss." Noah chuckled as Seto scowled at him.

"Enough with the chit-chat. It's time to duel!" The crowd went crazy over Seto's words, and the two teenagers drew their hand.

"Hey, Seto!" Joey's voice made Seto look off to his left, where he saw Yugi, Joey, and Anzu standing just inside the arena, held back from approaching the duelists by a pair of security guards.

"Beat that Noah creep, Seto!" Joey shouted, cheering on his friend with complete disregard for those in the grandstands who might prefer Noah to win.

Seto sighed in relief when he saw that his friends were alright. If anything had happened to them because of all this-his antagonism towards Noah, Noah's grudge against him, their mutual desire for revenge-he wouldn't be able to forgive himself.

Only a couple of turns into the duel, it became apparent to anyone with half a brain that they had some kind of personal history, that this wasn't their first time encountering each other.

"I guess when you're not as rich as me, it's harder to get good cards," Noah mocked, his arrogance grating on Seto's patience, which was wearing thin.

"A _true_ duelist would know that having good cards is only a small part of the game." Seto's words made Noah scowl as he laid a card face-down. "A _true_ duelist also knows better than to underestimate his opponent. After all, that's what you did last time, and how did that work out for you again?" Seto smiled smugly as Noah reacted with visceral rage to his comment.

While Joey kept shouting encouragement to Seto, Anzu turned to Yugi with a worried expression.

"Last time?" she whispered. "What's he talking about?"

Yugi shrugged; he had no answer for her. As she turned back to watching the duel, Yugi studied Seto carefully. He'd never seen him this angry before, never heard him speak so coldly with such clear intent to harm and upset. Nobody was perfect, true, but Yugi would have thought that Seto would know better than to engage in Noah's game of ad hominem attacks during the duel.

"Stay focused, Seto!" he called. "Don't let him mess with your head!"

Six or seven turns in, and they seemed to be evenly matched. There was no clear victor as of yet, since both duelists were impressing the audience with strategies and card combinations that they'd never thought of before.

 _Come on,_ Seto wished hard as he placed his fingers on top of the his deck. _Heart of the cards, heart of the cards..._ He drew his card. One look at it, and he threw back his head in triumphant laughter.

"Looks like you're finished, Noah!" Seto smirked as he felt his chest swell with pride. "You won't last very long at all, in fact."

"Don't be so sure! I'm the world champion, and don't you forget it!"

"You won't be champion for much longer!" Seto threw down his new card. "I summon Lord of Dragons, in defense mode!" The holographic lord appeared in his full glory as Seto reached for his hand and lay down a magic card. "And, I equip him with Flute of Summoning Dragon, allowing me to summon any two dragons from my hand or deck without making a sacrifice!"

Noah's overconfident grin began to fade from his face as Joey shouted at Seto, "Yeah, now you got 'im! Take 'im out!"

"And I choose my Blue-Eyes White Dragons!" It was a glorious moment as the pair of magnificent Blue-Eyes White Dragons appeared in holographic form, stretching their long necks and letting out a fierce cry.

Joey's jaw dropped while Yugi gasped, dumbstruck.

"Isn't that a really rare card?" Anzu asked. Yugi nodded. "Then how does he have two of them?"

"Grandpa gave him one, but I don't know about the other," Yugi answered, still staring up at Seto and the holograms.

Seto savored the look of fear and panic on Noah's face.

"It's against the rules to use stolen cards!" Noah spluttered, grasping at straws for some reason to disqualify Seto at this point. His hand was terrible, and while he had good cards in his deck, nothing seemed to be working the way it should for him in this duel.

"They're not stolen!" Seto shouted, furious for being accused of such a thing.

"You can't possibly afford that card!" Noah screamed, throwing something of a temper tantrum, which just made him look like a giant child.

"There are other ways to get a card than buying or stealing it," Seto snapped, crossing his arms.

"One was a gift from a friend," he answered coolly. "The other I won from you-"

"But you cheated!" Noah whined.

"I did not." Seto's tone had dropped to a freezing temperature. "The moderator even agreed that it was a fair game with no foul play. Maybe you should stop talking before you make yourself look any worse than you already do. Now Blue-Eyes, attack with white lightning attack!"

The dragons sprang into action to do their master's bidding, taking out two of the three monsters on Noah's side of the field and shrinking his remaining life-points. At Seto's command, the Lord of Dragons struck down the third, final, weaker monster on Noah's side of the field. Another attack like that, and he'd be finished.

Seto put down another card from his hand, saying, "I lay one card face-down and end my turn."

Noah looked furious and flushed as he glared at Seto with pure loathing. _One day, I WILL destroy you. I will break you into a million bloody pieces so that none who know you will be able to recognize you. I will ruin you with my own hands, and you will forever regret the day you crossed me and my family._

He looked down at his side of the field, assessing his situation: Spiritual Energy Settle Machine was still face-up, so he'd have to tribute a card to it at the end of this turn. After all, if he couldn't keep his spirit monsters on the field, his life points would remain entirely vulnerable and he'd lose for sure. Seto had just sent Yata-Garasu, Yamata Dragon, and Asura Priest to his graveyard, which meant that he needed to get some monsters on his side of the field immediately.

"I activate Pot of Greed, allowing me to draw two cards from my deck and add them to my hand." He looked at the cards and began to grin, feeling like he'd gained some control over the situation. "I activate Swords of Revealing Light, immobilizing all monsters on your side of the field for the next three turns."

"Boo!" Joey jeered, upset on Seto's behalf.

"Do you think Noah might still win?" Anzu asked Yugi, turning to him yet again for his perspective on the duel.

"I have no idea," Yugi answered honestly. "Noah just bought himself some time, so now he has the chance to make a comeback, which would draw out the duel even longer. On the other hand, it's extremely difficult to find monsters with an attack higher than the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, so he'd need to have some good magic cards _and_ the right monster cards on hand in order for him to pull it off." He looked between the two of them and added, "Dueling is about a lot more than cards and strategy, though. Noah is dueling for fun of beating other people, and for the purpose of defending his title, while Seto is dueling so that we can leave this place freely. Seto understands how to respect his cards, but Noah sees them only as tools. Grandpa says that the way you treat your cards and the reasons that you duel matter more than anything else in the whole game. That's why I think Seto is going to win this."

"Now I activate Brain Control!" Noah declared.

"That's a desperate move at this point," Yugi commented to his friends. "He wouldn't do that unless he felt certain that he could pull off a victory this turn. Either that, or he knows he hasn't got a chance and is willing to try anything."

"Brain Control allows me take control of any monster on your side of the field, and I choose-"

"Not so fast!" Seto said, holding out one hand as he called, "Reveal face-down card! Mystical Space Typhoon! I can use this card to target and destroy any magic or trap card on your side of the field, and I choose Brain Control!"

Disgruntled, Noah moved the magic card to his graveyard then reached back into his rapidly depleting hand.

"I lay one card face-down and end my turn," he muttered, his creepy yellow eyes shooting daggers at Seto from across the room as he also tributed one card from his hand in order to maintain his Spiritual Energy Settle Machine.

"What, no monster summoning?" Seto scoffed. "I'd say you probably just wasted most of your turn, but that's your problem, not mine." There wasn't much he could do since he was unable to attack, so he lay two cards face down in anticipation of what other antics Noah might attempt while Seto's monsters were paralyzed. Noah still hadn't drawn a monster on his next turn, so he lay one card face-down, tributed one card from his hand to keep the Spirit Energy Settle Machine and ended his turn. Seto sacrificed his Lord of Dragons in order to summon Luster Dragon and used a magic card to restore 500 life-points, then ended his turn.

"Tick, tock, Noah," he mocked. "You're running out of time to take me out."

Noah just glared at Seto as he drew his next card in the almost quiet stadium. He smiled, tucking the card into his hand. _Oh, you're in for quite a surprise, Seto._

"I activate Cost Down, reducing the levels of all monsters in my hand by two," Noah said, revealing the card he'd laid down the previous turn. "And I activate Soul Exchange!" He put another card down from his depleted hand. "It allows me to tribute one of your monsters as if it were mine," Noah continued, "And I choose one of your Blue-Eyes White Dragons!"

Seto's jaw clenched as Noah announced that he was taking one of Seto's dragons, but what happened next made him even angrier.

"You're just going to love _this_ Seto," he said with a wink. "I sacrifice _your_ Blue-Eyes in order to summon my own!" The crowd became very loud indeed now: three of the four Blue-Eyes White Dragons, after disappearing from all known records for several years, had reappeared all in a single duel? It was unheard of. The likelihood of the fourth Blue-Eyes appearing as well was about the same likelihood of someone being able to successfully summon Exodia the Forbidden One.

"Where'd you get this one? Take it from a little girl?" Seto teased facetiously. It had been meant as a joke, but when he looked at Noah's face, his expression was utterly priceless.

"What?! How did you-?" Noah stopped himself as he realized that Seto had been joking.

"How did I know about that? I didn't." Seto grinned widely, extremely pleased at having caught Noah in such an outrageous position. "That's what you _actually_ did, isn't it?" Seto began to laugh hard as Noah's fists balled at his sides. With as much dignity as he could muster, Noah attempted to continue the duel.

"Normally, I would have to wait until the next turn to attack, but with this Pyro Clock of Destiny," he revealed a face-down trap he'd laid the same turn he activated the Swords of Revealing Light. "I can advance the turn count by one, enabling me to attack on this turn. Blue-Eyes, attack his Luster Dragon with White Lightning attack!"

Seto braced himself for impact, but then nothing happened.

"What's wrong with this thing?" Noah demanded, hitting the Duel Arena with his fist, then looking up at his chuckling opponent. "You did this, didn't you?" he accused, pointing a finger at his employee.

" _I_ didn't do anything. _I_ didn't even create the Duel Arena, remember? You did that all by yourself." There was something snide and scornful in Seto's voice, and he had a hard time hiding his smile. "Maybe it just doesn't like you. Or maybe it doesn't acknowledge you as its master, since you did steal it, after all." Seto's hand reached for his deck, but Noah stopped him.

"Wait, my turn isn't over yet!"

"I'm waiting," Seto retorted, his hand hovering over his deck. Noah sighed heavily and discarded his Spirit Energy Settle Machine.

"I end my turn," he grumbled.

"Then that was your last one." Seto drew his card and added it to his hand as the Swords of Revealing Light faded from his side of the field. "Thank you for using that Pyro Clock of Destiny card, by the way, because now I can attack you without having to wait another turn. Blue-Eyes, white lightning attack!"

Seto's Blue-Eyes blasted Noah's Blue-Eyes, destroying both dragons in the process. Even though it had been necessary, Seto still felt a twinge of regret. He hated seeing his beloved dragon destroyed. Besides, it would have been fitting to win the duel with the very card that he'd won from Noah.

"Now, Luster Dragon, take out the rest of his life-points!" Seto ordered, watching as everything Noah had


	4. S1.4/5: Alternate Soul-Room Trust Exercise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An alternate version of chapters 27/28 for Rock Bottom. Originally, I was going to make it so that Seth DID sleep with Mai, and Seto allowed verbally, though he didn't really want it to happen, which led to confused feelings and bad communication.
> 
> Also, I wrote this version of their trust exercise about seven chapters before I reached that point in the story, so some other things got edited for the final version as well. And I wrote this during a three-day period when several of my characters were coming out uncharacteristically bratty, including Seth, which makes him act like an annoying little sister in this version.
> 
> This was also written at a time when I was going to have Mokuba go with Seto to Duelist Kingdom.

"Well look who it is," Seto muttered sourly as Seth materialized out of the shadows. "Had fun?"

"Please don't talk to me like that, Seto," Seth said quite seriously in one of those rare moments that he expressed true displeasure with his hikari. "The least you can do is show a little respect."

"Respect has to be earned," the moody teen retorted.

"And have I not earned it?" Seth asked sharply. Seto was really trying his patience at the moment.

"Gee, I don't know, do you treat my body like it's mine or like it's yours?" Seto's insolent words were full of bitterness. "You should have _asked_ me if it was alright."

Seth's eyes flamed for a moment as he crossed his arms, coming to a halt as he stood in front of Seto. "If you really didn't want me to, you should have just said no."

"The way you were carrying on about it, you made it impossible to say anything but yes."

Seth breathed deeply for a few moments, letting his anger cool. He uncrossed his arms and came to sit beside Seto.

"You're right. I wasn't exactly fair about that, was I? I'm sorry, Seto. I should have let it go the first time you said no."

Seto felt his own anger begin to ebb. "I forgive you," he grumbled. "Just don't do that again, okay? I hate losing control like that, and I can't risk something bad coming out of that."

"I still think you should have accepted her offer. It would have been good for you."

Seto's cheeks began to feel like they were on fire. "I don't see how that could have been the case," he muttered, hoping Seth would drop the subject.

"You know as well as I do that you've hated touching people, Mokuba excluded of course, because of your… experiences."

Seto stiffened, hoping that this wasn't going where he thought it was going.

"In addition to that, you can't stand the thought of any kind of intimacy with another person."

"I don't have time for romance!" Seto said, a little louder than he'd meant to.

"Intimacy and romance are often paired together, true, but intimacy can be had without romance, and you know that."

"Please, just stop," Seto whispered, trying to tune out the spirit's words.

"I know you've never had intimacy outside your former occupation—"

"Shut up, shut up, shut _up_ ," Seto growled, but Seth continued.

"And I think you need to experience the truth that sex doesn't have to be unpleasant or cause you pain."

"We're not talking about this!" Seto was growing furious. Why couldn't Seth ever just shut up?

"Your body has needs—"

"No!" Seto shouted, turning on Seth with an icy glare. "I am _not_ going to have this conversation with you!"

"Who else, then?" Seth challenged. "Who else would you talk to about these things? Yugi? Joey? Ryou?"

"Hell, no!" Seto yelled, his face red with outrage and embarrassment. "I'm not going to talk to anybody about it! There's nothing wrong with me, I don't need to be fixed!"

"No, you don't need to be fixed," Seth answered quietly, his eyes looking suddenly sad. "But you do need to be freed, and you do need to think carefully through these things before you make any kind of life decision."

"Freed from what?" Seto growled, still prickly after Seth had pushed him so far out of his comfort zone.

"Freed from your anxiety. It's hurting you, and I don't want you to continue hurting. I want you to be able to walk down the street and feel safe as you go about your life."

"Huh," Seto grunted skeptically. "Like that'll ever happen."

"It could, if you let it," Seth said quietly, his voice almost hopeful.

"Why should I _feel_ safe when it's _not_ safe?" Seto protested.

"It is safe, you just don't believe it is." Seth sighed, deciding to give up on that notion for now. He could make more progress in a different way for now. "At least, it's safe for you to be around your friends. They don't mean you any harm, so you shouldn't be on your guard when you're around them."

"I have too many secrets; keeping my guard up is a necessity," Seto retorted.

"But surely you won't spill your secrets just because they give you a hug," Seth pointed out, making Seto frown.

"I don't have to hug people if I don't want to."

"No, you don't, but you should receive hugs graciously when they're offered. It's a matter of courtesy and of reinforcing the strength of your relationships," Seth explained.

"Just drop it." Seto was done talking about his issues, but Seth, apparently, wasn't. Seto started as he felt Seth place a hand on his shoulder, and he quickly brushed it away. "Don't touch me."

"I'm not hurting you, am I?" Seth asked, feigning innocence.

"No, you're not, but that's not the point." Seto scowled at the Egyptian man and edged away from him.

"Then what's the point?" Seth asked as he reached out to touch Seto's hair. His reincarnation ducked his head to dodge the hand, leaning away from him as if to be touched by him would give him the plague, or leprosy. Seth's hand caught Seto's chin as he stood on his knees to lean closer to the lanky brunette. He blinked clear blue eyes at the younger one as he waited for an explanation.

"It… It burns," Seto whispered, his eyes watering.

"But it doesn't have to," Seth murmured gently, releasing Seto and sitting back on his heels as he watched him scramble further away before wrapping his arms around himself again and resuming his former brooding. He looked more like he was pouting now, though.

"Let me help you, Seto," he pleaded softly, moving closer to him and reaching towards him with one hand.

"Touch me again, Seth, and I swear I'll throw the Millennium Rod into the ocean!" The words came out loud and harsh, and Seth dropped his hand to the floor in obedience, going still as Seto shuddered and drew the back of his hand across his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Seto," he whispered, shifting to sit close to Seto without touching him. This was more serious than he'd realized. "Are you really this afraid of being touched?"

Seto just nodded while looking in the other direction.

This was worse than he'd thought.

"I'm just trying to help you, Seto. People are starting to notice that something is wrong."

"They are?"

"Ryou most certainly is. He watches you like a hawk. And if Ryou has concerns about you, then he's definitely voiced them to Marik, and who knows who they've talked to about it. Plus, you did drop Joey's name that time you were assaulted, so they've probably talked to him about it by now."

Seto shuddered, drawing closer into himself.

"Seto, darling, you need to learn to be okay with human touch again."

"Don't call me darling ever again. That was just creepy," Seto grumbled.

"How about a deal, then, darling: I'll only not call you darling if you agree to let me help you now."

Seth continued calling Seto darling until he finally gave in and allowed Seth some "brief" time to do whatever he called "helping."

The former pharaoh started by simply touching his hand to Seto's, letting their fingertips touch, then their palms.

"What are you afraid of, Seto?" he asked quietly.

"Human touch. I thought we already established that," he muttered half-heartedly.

"But what are you afraid will happen when someone touches you?" he asked quietly, his hand shifting from Seto's hand to slowly slide along his forearm. "Are you afraid that you'll be hurt? That someone will try to molest you?"

"Yes," Seto answered hoarsely.

"Which one?"

"Both, but especially the latter, like you're doing right now," he grumbled, turning his face away as Seth's hand reached his shoulder.

"That's hardly what I plan on doing," Seth said with a frown, pulling his hand away. "How many times must I beg you to trust me before you finally do?"

"Trust needs to be earned," Seto quipped.

"Have I not earned it yet? Or you're just not willing to give it?"

"I… have a hard time trusting people besides myself," he admitted quietly.

"Given your life so far, I can understand why that would be difficult, but wouldn't you like to be able to relax and share your burdens with someone else, trusting that they will do their best to help you?"

"That does sound nice," Seto murmured, his eyes distant.

"I know it's not easy, but can you at least try to trust me?" Seth pleaded.

"I can try…"

Seth kissed the top of Seto's head quickly, before he could pull away. "Then let's try this out now," he said, standing up, holding out a hand to help his hikari stand as well. After a moment, Seto took it and stood beside the older man.

"Do you see where we are, Seto?" he asked.

"My soul room."

"Look at the floor, look at the ceiling, the walls. What do you see?"

"We're… inside a giant cage," Seto answered, realizing this fact for the first time. Seth pointed toward a large opening.

"There is no door to cover the entrance, so why don't you try to escape?"

Seto looked up at Seth curiously, then toward the large hole in the silver gilded bars of the cage. He approached it and looked out.

"We're hanging over a bottomless pit," he scoffed. "How on earth am I supposed to escape?" He turned around to face Seth, but he had disappeared.

"Maybe you can try trusting me."

Seto turned around and saw that Seth was standing on a ledge faraway.

"How the hell did you get over there?" Seto demanded, getting irritated.

"Unimportant," Seth said dismissively. "I want you to come over here and join me."

"How?" Seto asked, exasperated. "There's nothing but empty space between here and there."

"You can get here safely if you trust me," Seth answered calmly, despite Seto's growing agitation. "Keep your eyes on me, no matter what, and walk this way."

"Do you really think I would fall for something like this?" Seto asked, his temper riled. "There's nothing to walk on. I'll fall."

"Seto, the moment you believe that, you make it true." Seth's low, steady voice made Seto shiver as it cooled his temper. Seto looked down into the abyss, but Seth said, "Eyes up, Seto. Focus on me." Seto looked up, feeling anxious as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Good. Now all you have to do is put one foot in front of the other."

"Right, and when I do, there's no way I'm gonna fall," Seto said sarcastically, still standing on the edge of the cage. "You're insane."

"We're in your soul room, Seto. You can't be harmed here unless you wish it."

"I don't wish it," Seto snapped.

"Then you have nothing to be afraid of," Seth answered with a patronizing smile.

"I don't trust things I can't see." Seto crossed his arms, the perfect image of a stubborn child.

"Do you want to spend the rest of your life in a cage?" Seth asked coolly, his eyes narrowing.

"Of course not!" Seto's pride was wounded by the implications of such a thing.

"Then why don't you leave it?"

Seto looked disgruntled for a few moments as he tried to make up his mind.

"You promise that I won't fall?" he asked hesitantly. He couldn't believe that he was actually considering this.

"I promise that as long as you keep your eyes on me and trust that you'll be safe, you will be."

Seto took a few deep breaths, then grabbed hold of the nearest bar of the walls of the prison-like cage. He looked up at Seth, staring straight ahead as he inhaled and tentatively put his foot forward. He felt something solid beneath it, and gasped in surprise.

"Good!" Seth called encouragingly. "Keep your eyes on me, Seto, and put one foot in front of the other." Seto hesitated, and he added, "Just let go, Seto. I promise you'll be alright."

This was difficult for the teen who'd learned to be suspicious of people, who'd learned that people couldn't be trusted. Up until now, every time he'd placed significant trust in another person, he had been forced to do so. Dr. Bakura had discovered a part of the truth through his own pursuits, and Seto'd had no choice but to trust that he would keep the information confined to only himself and his wife. He'd had no choice but to trust that Joey would keep his secret to himself. The older he got, the less he depended on others for anything, making himself as independent as possible so that he'd never _have_ to trust anyone too deeply.

"You _promise_  that nothing bad will happen?" Seto asked, still needing confirmation.

"I promise, Seto." Seth placed his right hand over his heart as he spoke.

Seto let go and took another hesitant step forward, resisting the urge to look down and try to discern what he was walking on.

"I love you as my son, Seto. I only want what's best for you."

Another step forward.

"Ryou loves you—"

"Ryou loves Marik," Seto corrected, starting to waver. This was foolish. He was going to fall to his death.

"Platonically, I mean," Seth qualified, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. "Ryou loves you. Consider the fact that you entrust him with Mokuba's wellbeing when you don't even trust your own father."

Another tentative step forward, and Seto was having a hard time keeping his gaze fixed on Seth's cerulean eyes. He wanted to look down, to be sure of his step, to make sure that he didn't fall. He burst out suddenly, "Seth, I can't do this." He was just as crazy as Seth for thinking that this was going to work. Whatever was under his feet felt unsteady and shifting, only confirming his fears.

"Yes, you _can_ do it, Seto," Seth insisted, hiding his sense of alarm as he saw that Seto started to doubt him. "Keep your eyes on me, and you'll be fine."

"How can you promise that?" Seto demanded, feeling his insides shake. He wasn't ready to die.

"You're just gonna have to trust me." It was the best answer Seth could give. For now, though, it seemed like enough, for Seto still stood there, staring at him with an odd mixture of anxiety and stubbornness. Clearly, he was going to stand his ground until he was given sufficient reason to move again.

"Continue walking, Seto," Seth said patiently, holding the identical azure gaze steadily with his own, knowing that if he looked away, so would Seto, whose feet now shifted nervously. "You believe in Ryou's goodness, which is in itself invisible and intangible."

"But I can see the empirical evidence of it," Seto countered confidently, taking a step forward a few moments after he spoke.

"Exactly. Dr. Bakura has raised his son to be a good man, which is evidence that he himself is worthy of your trust."

Another shaky step.

"Marik loves you. His family has, for the last three thousand years, served myself and Atem by guarding our tombs and protecting some of the Millennium Items. We-you and I-are one of two pharaohs that he serves wholeheartedly. He has knowledge of the ancient scriptures and understands that we are here because we have a great burden to carry, a war to fight in the name of all that is good in order to save the world. That is why you can trust him."

"What are you talking about?" Seto asked, perplexed as he stood still.

"I'm talking about why I'm here, why you received the Millennium Rod, why my soul resides partially within you. You've asked me about it before, and I'm only just telling you now because we may have to face that evil again very soon. Keep walking, Seto."

Hesitantly, the brunette obeyed, though he didn't feel like he was getting much closer to his destination.

"You need to _believe_ what I'm telling you, Seto," Seth said, a pleading note in his rich voice.

"Why can I trust you?" Seto challenged, doubt nagging at him once more. "Since you seem so keen on that subject right now, explain it to me: why can I trust you?"

"I already told you," he answered with a sigh. "You are a piece of my own soul. I could no more wish to harm you than I could wish to cut off my own hand or poke out my own eyes."

"Fair enough, if what you say is true," Seto conceded reluctantly, taking another step forward. He blinked hard as he tried to keep his eyes up.

"Yugi loves you. You've protected him, and he looks up to you."

"Well, he's a pacifist," Seto scoffed, clearly disagreeing with his peer's philosophy. "They're made of glass. There's not a mean bone in his body."

"That's right," Seth answered with a smile. It seemed like Seto was finally starting to catch on. "He's naive, innocent, and good. He could never be malicious, even if he tried. That's why you can trust him."

Seto took another step forward, starting to feel more steady.

"Joey loves you. You never realized it on your own, but the sight of your pain was the impetus that drove him to change his ways. Since he's changed, his life has been far happier than it ever used to be. He has real friends now, something he hasn't had in a long time. YOU made him good, made him happy, and he knows it. Now he feels a loyalty and respect for you that he never felt towards anyone before. That is why you can trust him."

Seto took a step forward, then another. Finally, he felt like he was getting somewhere. Seth was growing excited as he saw that Seto was starting to truly believe him.

"Ryou's parents love you as if you were their own son. They took care of you when you were hurt and unable to stand. They have kept your secret, even from the authorities, despite the fact that they think it would benefit you and your brother. That is why you can trust them."

Seto was getting closer, walking at an almost steady pace across the chasm, floating on air, kept aloft only by his faith in Seth and what Seth said.

"Anzu loves you. She loves Yugi, and because you've protected him, she loves you by extension. She sees that you have a good heart, albeit a fierce one, and that you stand up for those who are unable to defend themselves. She sees that you're dependable, that you follow through on your word, and she respects that. She also sees that you take treachery very personally. She knows that if she were to wrong you, she'd lose you as a protector, should she ever be in need of one. That is why you can trust her."

Seto was getting close, very close to the ledge where Seth stood.

"Duke loves you. You've impressed him with your intellect and character, and he sees you as a good friend. He would never wish to alienate you or lose your respect. That is why you can trust him."

"I think you've forgotten someone rather obvious," Seto pointed out with a small smile.

"I could never forget him," Seth assured as he returned the smile. "Mokuba loves you, more than he loves anyone else in the world, even Amane. You've always been there, a constant, positive presence in his life. He's always looked to you for guidance, for sustenance, for protection. You're not just his brother, you're his father, his mother, his best friend, his role model, all wrapped into one."

"His mother?" Seto asked, raising one dubious eyebrow at the Egyptian.

"You know what I mean," Seth insisted with a sigh. "You've functioned as one since your true mother is gone. He loves you unconditionally and absolutely _adores_ you. He hates the idea of seeing you hurt or upset or unhappy. That is why you can trust him."

Seto let out a sigh of relief as he stepped onto the ledge in front of Seth, suddenly being pulled into a close embrace as the sound of something loud and heavy breaking filled his ears. He was able to turn his head just enough to see that there had been chains holding the large cage suspended in the air. They looked old, rusty, and unstable, which was probably why one had snapped. That added strain to the others, and they proceeded to break. Seth brought a hand up to shield Seto's eyes from any debris that might fall their way. The cage fell and not too long after crashed onto the dark bottom of the room with a loud, startling clatter. The whole thing unnerved Seto, who shook just a little as Seth's strong arms continued to hold him close.

"What just happened? I'm confused." Seto's expression showed it too.

"Some people are content to let fear imprison them their whole lives," Seth answered obscurely. "Most people don't realize how the fear itself poses a greater threat to them than the things they fear. You're destined for greatness, which means that you need to learn to leave the fear behind."

"So you're saying that I'm cured? Just like that?" Seto asked doubtfully. He decided that he wasn't willing to enter the whole, "I don't believe in destiny," argument again. That wasn't important right now.

"Well, it wasn't easy, was it?" Seth pointed out. "You wouldn't have been able to do it if I weren't here to help you."

"Fair enough," Seto admitted grudgingly, making Seth smile at him again.

"You needed someone to show you that people are worthy of trust, and why. You wouldn't have allowed yourself to believe as much unless you felt how greatly you _needed_ to have faith."

"So you're saying that all of this was just some elaborate, metaphorical trust exercise?" Seto asked, realization striking him like a blow. "Couldn't we have just done a trust-fall or something?"

"No, I'm afraid it wouldn't have had quite the same effect," Seth answered with a laugh. He kissed Seto's forehead and loosened his embrace so that he could push Seto's long bangs aside. "You feel a lot better now, though, don't you?"

"Yeah, I do," Seto answered quietly, not quite able to meet Seth's piercing gaze.

"Good. Don't forget this feeling. Whenever you start to doubt those close to you, remember what I told you about why they could be trusted."

"I will," Seto promised quietly. He was a little distracted by the strange sense of freedom he now felt. He could breathe a little easier without all that anxiety burdening him.

"It's wise to be wary of strangers, but you need to show that you trust the people who care about you. You don't have to live in fear."

"But not all fear is bad, right?" Seto asked, sounding for a moment much younger than he was, as if he were a child questioning his father.

"Right. Sometimes it's the very thing that keeps us safe and out of harm's way. That's the difference between rational and irrational fears. It's rational to be afraid of crocodiles or bears or lions, because they're powerful predators capable of killing you. Healthy fear will help you avoid a threat. Unhealthy fear interferes with your ability to lead a normal life, and I think you'd agree with me if I said that what you felt fell into the latter category."

"Yeah, I guess it did," Seto muttered.

"I'm glad that you see that now." Seth gave him one last squeeze before releasing him. "Go forth and live freely."

"Why do you have to talk like a Shakespearean fortune cookie?" Seto grumbled, making Seth laugh heartily, tousling Seto's hair with one hand. "It doesn't burn _now_ , does it?" he asked softly.

"N-No, it doesn't," he murmured, closing his eyes as a sense of relief flooded his senses.

Seto's soul room started to fade around them, and Seto found himself waking up near Mokuba and the others.


	5. S1: Mastershipping One-Night Stand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This would have happened at some point during Season One, although I never really had it pinned down. Maybe right after Duelist Kingdom. Contains lemon. In order to understand the context for this, you may wish to (re)read S1.1 "Date."

"Duke? It's Seto."

"It's nice to hear from you again. How are you?"

"I'm doing fairly well. How are you?"

"No complaints here. To what do I owe the pleasure of this call?"

"I… changed my mind."

"I see."

"Are you free Friday night?"

"Of course. I look forward to it. I'll see you then."

"See you then."

* * *

"Let me guess: damaged goods?" Duke asked, cocking an eyebrow at Seto as he stepped close to press the front of his body to the other's.

After the faintest hesitation, Seto nodded. He had no idea just how damaged. Duke smiled a little at him as he lifted a hand to Seto's cheek.

"Figures. I could read your _Fragile: Handle With Care_ label from a mile away." His hand moved from Seto's cheek to the back of his head, gripping it firmly while being careful not to tug on his hair. He looked like there was still something he wanted to say, but Seto decided that he was done waiting. He kissed Duke hard, the other teen reacting immediately as Seto's hands found Duke's hips and pulled them hard against his own.

A groan shivered through the air, but it was nearly impossible to tell whose it was, or if it didn't belong to the both of them. As they began to struggle in their own subtle and overt ways for dominance of the situation, Duke experienced an aggression in Seto that he'd never witnessed before. He wasn't scared, but he took note of it.

Meanwhile, Seto was starting to realize just how right Seth had been. He'd needed this. His body had needed this. It might have been a while since he'd done this, and he might have tried his best to forget absolutely everything, but now everything he'd known about sex was flooding back to him. Suddenly, all signs of hesitation were gone. _He_ was in charge, and for once, he was going to get what _he_ wanted. He served no man but himself.

It was easy for Duke to see that Seto was ravenous, but he couldn't yet understand why. Seto's hands found their way to Duke's ass, and he interlocked his fingers, cradling Duke's ass as he caressed it. As he lifted Duke, the technician's long legs wrapped around his waist, and Seto made his way to Duke's bed as he nipped at the pale neck before him.

Duke wouldn't have guessed Seto would be so domineering, but despite his surprise, he welcomed it. That's what they were here for, wasn't it?

Clothes were tossed carelessly onto the floor as they both moaned without hesitation or concern for who might hear them. Duke's fingers stroked along Seto's back, and his stomach twisted as he realized that he couldn't find a single square inch that didn't contain scar tissue. Seto's breath caught in his throat and Duke moved his hands to Seto's shoulders, not wanting to upset him.

By the time he had to tell Seto where the lube was, Duke's body was trembling with pleasure in a way that it had never been before. Seto prepared him perfectly, drawing out the sensations for as long as possible, pushing Duke to his limits. When at last Seto entered Duke with a firm buck of his hips, the dark-haired gamer was already seeing stars.

The scarred brunette was kneeling on the mattress, holding Duke by the hips as his legs clung to Seto's torso. _Slow and steady,_ he told himself. _You're out of practice._ He started out with an easy, sustainable pace, one that was just slow enough to drive Duke nuts with need—and do exactly the same thing to Seto.

By the time Seto untangled their bodies and collapsed on his stomach beside Duke on the bed, his body was humming with pleasure in a way he hadn't known was possible. They took the time to catch their breath before doing anything else. Duke was the first to stir, and once he stirred, he pounced like a predator.

"Hey!" Seto cried as he felt Duke's weight land on top of him. "Careful."

"Careful is my middle name, Sweetheart," he assured with a wink. Now that his weight pinned Seto in place, preventing him from moving, Duke reached behind himself to grab the clear bottle of lubricant. He crawled backwards off of Seto's ass and knelt between his legs.

"Duke." It wasn't a question or a cry, but a statement. The message was in his tone, and Duke could read it well enough. It was a warning, a quiet petition: _Please don't hurt me. I've been hurt before._

"Sh, dear," he purred, reaching up to stroke his hands along Seto's sides comfortingly. "Just relax and trust me." He kissed the spot at the base of Seto's spine before spreading his thighs a bit further apart and coating his own fingers with the clear gel. He swallowed down an "oh god" when he saw what he was working with. As tenderly as possible, Duke cautiously wriggled one fingertip inside, and immediately felt Seto tense.

"Relax," Duke breathed across the backs of Seto's thighs, peppering the skin with little kisses. "Trust me." When he felt Seto's muscles unclench, he continued the process of loosening him, taking extra special care as more scar tissue was exposed to him in the process. _It's like he was raped over and over again,_ Duke thought in disturbed shock, trying to treat Seto's body with the care and respect it deserved without making him feel like he was being pitied. He knew Seto well enough to know that he disdained receiving pity.

Another finger was added to the first, and Seto grunted appreciatively. This was a pattern familiar to Duke, so he understood it well and could do it easily—he just had to be _especially_ careful this time around. Three fingers, and Duke finally noticed that Seto had been biting down on his fist this whole time.

"You can always tell me to stop if you need me to," he whispered, pressing kisses along Seto's spine this time as the brunette just grunted in vague understanding. Duke proceeded to splay and stretch his fingers, finally eliciting true moans of pleasure from his partner.

"Don't stop." The heady, hoarse voice that spoke with such need was immensely gratifying. And there it was, that little plea that begged for fulfillment at the gates of nirvana.

Duke didn't stop, but soon removed his fingers so that he could coat his member thoroughly. He drove into Seto with one smooth stroke, making the brunette arch beneath him and shout. His shout faded into a low groan, and for a moment, Duke lay his body flush against Seto's, stomach to spine, arms pressed along his arms.

"If it hurts, just tell me to stop, and I will, okay?" he whispered, receiving a faint nod in answer. Good. Duke was a lot of things, but insensitive wasn't one of them. The scars on Seto's body screamed of abuse, and it mattered to Duke that Seto knew he was safe here.

* * *

Duke awoke before Seto the next morning, and when the brunette finally opened his eyes, Duke was blow-drying his hair. When he emerged from the bathroom, they exchanged pleasantries, and Seto was informed that he could shower while Duke made breakfast for them both. They had an interesting conversation while they ate.

"Why do you do it?"

Duke looked at his companion with one eyebrow raised. "Are you referring to the one-night stands?" he asked perceptively, and Seto nodded. "Because I'm not a commitment kind of person, not when it comes to relationships, that is. And the way I see it, there are too many people out there who don't feel loved. If I can make someone feel loved for just one night, sometimes it's enough to make them believe that they deserve it. And I think that even if they don't find love after that, it's better for them to have been loved for one night than not at all."

Seto considered these words thoughtfully. Much to his own surprise, he actually understood what Duke meant. People who didn't know him may call him a player or a horndog, but that's not what he was at all. He was better than that.

"You have a generous heart, Duke Devlin," Seto praised in soft amazement. "One far more generous than mine."


	6. S1.19: Extended Helicopter Scene

** Version 1: **

"It's a pretty steady flight from here on out," Seto commented to his copilot. "Want to play a word game?"

"Sure. Since we're flying, how about we do something travel related?"

"Like what?"

"Rhyming journeys. From Kent to Trent."

"From Bollywood to Hollywood."

"From Dubai to Molokai."

"From Russia to Prussia."

"From Vienna to Sienna."

"From Aruba to Cuba," Mai interjected with a smirk. "I actually did that once. Lovely islands."

"When were you in the Caribbean?" Anzu asked in awe.

"From Edinburgh to St. Petersburg."

"For my twenty-first birthday."

"From Thailand to Disney Land?" Adina suggested hesitantly. Duke and Seto glanced at each other briefly.

"Sure, why not!" Duke said cheerfully. He'd humor the little girl. She was young, and so long as she had fun, that's all that mattered.

"From Rotterdam to Amsterdam?"

"From Buckingham to Wokingham," Ryou interjected.

"Wokingham?"

"It's in England," the Brit explained. "I have family there."

"From Dalmatia to Croatia."

"Isn't Dalmatia _in_ Croatia?"

"Even if it is, you can still go from Dalmatia to another part of Croatia though. How do you know that, anyways?"

"I have distant relatives in Croatia." Duke smirked.

"You're part Croatian?"

"No, just Croatian family; they're second cousins twice removed or something like that."

"From Lisbon to Brisbane." Ryou's British accent made the rhyme work.

"From Romania to Albania!"

"Very good, Mokuba," Seto praised. "How did you know those ones?"

"I remembered them from geography last year."

"See? I told you that studying pays off."

"From Pennsylvania to Transylvania."

"From Siberia to Iberia."

"Iberia?"

"Spain and Portugal are on the Iberian Peninsula; cumulatively, they could be called Iberia."

"You also could have said Liberia."

"Oh, I should have thought of that."

"From Tasmania to Lithuania."

"From Moscow to Cairo?"

"Good one, Marik!" Ryou beamed at the Egyptian with pride.

"From Glasgow to Gitmo," Joey suggested.

"Gitmo isn't its real name, though," Seto protested. "It's just an abbreviation for Guantanamo Bay."

"Then it's Guantanamo to Geronimo."

"That's not even a place!"

"Wait, let me check my phone." Yugi pulled out his phone and turned airplane mode off, but stopped what he was doing when Seto reminded him why it was on in the first place.

"Your phone could interfere with our radio equipment," the brunette said sharply. "You'll have to check it when we get back."

"Oh, sorry." Yugi quickly turned airplane mode back on and put his phone away again.

"Can we play another game?" Joey asked. "We're running out of rhymes."

" _I'm_ not." Duke smirked. "From Portugal to Montreal. From Alaska to Nebraska. From—"

"Come on, let's play another one, something more engaging." Seto thought for a few minutes. "I went through customs and all I had to declare was some jelly from New Delhi."

"I went through customs and all I had to declare was some jelly from New Delhi, and a speedo from Toledo."

"A speedo? Really?"

"I did have something that rhymed with Hong Kong," Duke answered mischievously. "But I figured I oughtn't to say it in front of the children."

"Thank you for that. Okay, who's next?"

"I'll go," Mai said; she'd traveled all over the world, which gave her a leg up with these geography games. "I went through customs and all I had to declare was some jelly from New Delhi, a speedo from Toledo, and a beret from San Jose. Who wants to go next?"

"I'll go." Ryou was enjoying this far more than he thought he would.

* * *

**Version 2:**

"It's a pretty steady flight from here on out. That is, relatively steady," Seto commented to his copilot. His flying wasn't entirely smooth, but that was to be expected. He could fly straight and go where he aimed, and manage to not crash, and that's what mattered most. "Want to play a word game?"

"Sure. Since we're flying, how about we do something travel related?"

"Like what?"

"Like, we say, 'I went through customs and all I had to declare was' and then we name something and where it's from, but they have to rhyme. Then the next person says what the others said before, and add their own at the end. Does that sound good to everyone?"

"Sure!"

"Yeah!"

"Sounds like fun!"

"Okay, then, I'll start." Seto thought for a moment, then began, "I went through customs and all I had to declare was some jelly from New Delhi."

Duke went next, looking a bit too pleased with himself. "I went through customs and all I had to declare was some jelly from New Delhi, and a speedo from Toledo."

"A speedo? Really?"

"I did have something that rhymed with Hong Kong," he answered mischievously. "But I figured I oughtn't to say it in front of the children."

"Thank you for that. Okay, who's next?"

"I'll go," Mai said; she'd traveled all over the world, which gave her a leg up with these geography games. "I went through customs and all I had to declare was some jelly from New Delhi, a speedo from Toledo, and a beret from San Jose. Who wants to go next?"

"I'll go." Ryou was enjoying this far more than he thought he would.


	7. S4: Alternate Scene

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A deleted scene from Season Four. (And by deleted, I mean, I wrote some sections ahead of time, and then my plans for S4 changed, so this will no longer be included.) I removed any spoilers, although I did leave little hints. ;)

Seth stretched his arms, savoring the sensation.

"It feels so nice to have my old body back!" He said in apparent ecstasy as he happily looked down at his body. Joey was watching Seth with curiosity, noting that his hair was redder than Seto's, his skin tanner, his eyes lined with kohl. Where Seto was nutmeg, Seth was cinnamon. Where Seto was peach, Seth was bronze. Where Seto was sapphire, Seth was lapis lazuli. Where Seto was tall, Seth was taller. Where Seto was lean, Seth was muscular.

Seto was inspecting Seth with as much scrutiny as Joey, as if he didn't know what to make of his other self. He simply watched him in silence, arms crossed as he if he was trying to make up his mind about something.

"Come now, Seto, I expected more enthusiasm from you!" Seth said as he dropped his arms and trapped his reincarnation in a close embrace before he could pull away.

Seto looked embarrassed and uncrossed his arms so that he could return the gesture, feeling self-conscious as Joey watched them with an amused grin.

"Did you really think I would respond with enthusiasm, or did you just hope it?" Seto asked incredulously as Seth released him.

"I hoped, but I knew better than to truly expect it of you," Seth said with an unconcerned ease. Joey was surprised at how different their demeanors were. Where Seto was closed, Seth was open. Where Seto was reserved, Seth was expressive. Where Seto scowled, Seth grinned.

"I can't believe you two are the same soul," Joey said in amazement, making Seth chuckle.

"I'm older and more mature now, but I was just like him when I was younger," Seth said affectionately, reaching out to pat Seto on the head, but Seto gently rebuffed the hand.

"I'm not a child, Seth," Seto reminded him, not wanting to indulge in all of this physical affection when he felt so on edge from their sudden relocation.

"Perhaps not, but you're _my_ child, Musuko," he replied, still unbothered by Seto's hesitance and self-containment as he pat Seto's shoulder for a moment before dropping his hand to his side.


	8. S1.21: Alternative Version

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I originally planned on titling S1.21 "Soundtrack" and going through each significant character and quoting some lyrics, then writing a little scene for each of them to show how they're all getting back to normal life after Duelist Kingdom.
> 
> Yugi was going to be having dinner with his family, and his parents would dismiss something he says about the magic, and then Yugi and his Grandpa have an unspoken moment of, "We know more than them, so let them believe what they will."
> 
> "Ryou was gonna be kinda depressed buying new music on iTunes, and Marik asks Ryou to read "The Great Gatsby" to him.
> 
> Duke was going to be jamming out to "Cherry Pie" by Warrant (and if you've read my stuff on FanFiction.net, you know this isn't my first time linking Duke to that song in a fanfic) while he opened his mail and discovered that Pegasus had stuck to his word and endorsed Duke's game.
> 
> Joey's driving Serenity to the movies, then realizes she wanted him to go see Twilight with her. XD Bro-sis bonding for the win!
> 
> Noah Kaiba was going to be... well, I can't tell you, because that'd be a spoiler!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs that I do quote here, in order:  
> "Hips Don't Lie" by Shakira  
> "Believe" by Hollywood Undead  
> "Remember The Name" by Fort Minor

_Oh baby when you talk like that,_  
_You make a woman go mad._  
_So be wise and keep on_  
_Reading the signs of my body._

Anzu couldn't help but sing along as she danced energetically to Shakira, following along with the work-out video.

 _And I'm on tonight,  
You know my hips don't lie,_  
_I'm starting to feel it's right._  
_All the attraction,_  
_The tension,_  
_Don't you see, baby,_  
_This is perfection._

She was still dancing when she heard a snickering behind her, making her turn around. At the doorway was her little brother holding up a digital camera as he video-taped her, the red light blinking. Her fierce glare made him squeak and start to run away, but she chased him and tackled him to the floor.

"Get off of me!" he shouted as she tried to pry the camera from his hands.

"Give it to me, and I will!" When Anzu finally got the camera out of his tightly clenched fingers, she dashed back to her own room and slammed the door, locking it firmly so that he couldn't reenter. She

* * *

 _Can you believe bad things_  
_Only happen to me?_  
_God knows one day_  
_You will finally see_  
_That scars will heal_  
_But were meant to bleed._  
_Do you realize_  
_I would lie for you?_  
_Please have my last breath_  
_I would die for you._  
_I know I'm no good_  
_But my heart beats true._  
_You know I'm gonna fight_  
_Though I might be scared to lose._

Seto idly watched his brother

* * *

 _Nobody really knows how or why_  
_He works so hard_  
_It seems like he's never got time_  
_Because he_  
_Writes every note._  
_He writes every line_  
_And I've seen him at work_  
_The light that goes on in his mind._  
_It's like a design_  
_Is written in his head every time_  
_Before he even touches a key_  
_Or speaks in a rhyme._

"Are you meeting friends at the movies?" Joey asked absent-mindedly as he stopped at a red light. He looked over at his little sister in the passenger seat, then back at the road, nodding his head to the rap music. In his mind, he associated the song with Seto: how hard he worked in order to break free from his current place in life. Joey believed in him. He'd break out any day now. He was too smart to live a life of obscurity.

"No, I just thought you and I would go see one together," Serenity answered, looking up at her brother with a hopeful smile.

"Cool. What movie did you want to see?" Joey asked, smiling back at her encouragingly. Watching Seto and Mokuba together had made him feel a bit guilty for not being closer to his little sister. He wanted to be a brother she could look up to and depend on, and he was starting to realize that he hadn't been that for her. Their parents were always busy and hardly paid much attention to their children, unless it was to reprimand their son for being out all night or to remind their daughter to study, because she couldn't have friends over if she didn't ace her exams.

* * *

 _I've become so numb_  
_I can't feel you there_  
_Tired of being what you want me to be_  
_I'm becoming this_  
_All I want to do_  
_Is be more like me_  
_And be less like you_  
_Can't you see that you're smothering me..._

Ryou hit the "Buy" button and tapped the search box with his thumb before typing in the title of another song he'd once heard on YouTube, but now wished to add to the music library on his phone. He tapped the preview button of the new song.

 _You never go_  
_You're always here_  
_Suffocating me_  
_Under my skin_  
_I cannot run away_

A few more taps, and Ryou was moving to yet another one.

 _If I told you what I was_  
_Would you turn your back on me?_  
_And if I seemed dangerous_  
_Would you be scared?_  
_I get the feeling just because_  
_Everything I touch isn't dark enough_  
_That this problem lies in me_

"What are you doing?" Marik asked

* * *

"How long does it take for you to do this, usually?" Seto asked as he carefully traced the black outline of an illustration on the wall. He had to stand quite close in order to see it, and he had no idea what the whole image was, because every time he stepped back to see it, the images were too faint for him to see. Seth was older now than he'd been when Seto visited him that morning, but only by a few years. He was dressed a bit differently now, but there was no mistaking his identity.

"I have no way of measuring time here," Seth answered, standing on a block of stone to reach the hieroglyphs cramped near the top of the wall, where the wall and the ceiling intersected. "I just know that it feels like ages."


	9. S2, 11 - Deck Lists

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The deck lists for Bakura and Mai in their duel starting in Chapter 11: Twist of Season Two.

I spent a lot of time (perhaps way too much time) creating the decks that Mai and Bakura use in chapter 11 of "Rise Up" so here I am going to tell you what those decks are composed of, in case you actually play the card game like I do and you wanted to give them a try. If you do try them out, let me know how they work for you and what changes you made in order to optimize it.

**BAKURA'S DECK:**

Monsters:  
1 x Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning  
2 x Chaos Sorcerer  
3 x Skull Servant  
3 x Wightprince  
3 x Wightprincess  
3 x Lady In Wight  
3 x Wightmare  
2 x Effect Veiler  
2 x Ghost Ogre and Snow Rabbit  
3 x King of the Skull Servants  
2 x Gozuki  
3 x Mezuki  
3 x Uni-Zombie

Spells:  
3 x Allure of Darkness  
1 x Foolish Burial  
1 x Mystical Space Typhoon  
1 x Painful Decision  
3 x Dark Door

Traps:  
2 x Just Desserts  
1 x Magic Jammer  
1 x Spellbinding Circle

**MAI'S DECK:**

Monsters:  
1 x Amazoness Archer  
2 x Amazoness Blowpiper  
1 x Amazoness Chain Master  
2 x Amazoness Fighter  
2 x Amazoness Paladin  
1 x Amazoness Pet Baby Tiger  
2 x Amazoness Princess  
2 x Amazoness Queen  
2 x Amazoness Sage  
1 x Amazoness Scouts  
2 x Amazoness Spy  
2 x Amazoness Tiger  
2 x Amazoness Trainee  
2 x Unfriendly Amazon

Spells:  
2 x Amazoness Call  
1 x Amazoness Fighting Spirit  
1 x Amazoness Heirloom  
1 x Amazoness Spellcaster  
3 x Amazoness Village

Traps:  
1 x Amazoness Ambush  
1 x Amazoness Archers  
1 x Amazoness Shamanism  
1 x Amazoness Willpower  
1 x Dramatic Rescue  
3 x Mirror Force  
2 x Mirror Wall  
2 x Queen's Pawn

Extra Deck:  
2 x Amazoness Empress  
1 x Amazoness Pet Liger


End file.
